The Captain's Woman
by Pirate-Girl1017
Summary: In the twilight of his years Chosokabe Motochika sits alone upon a mountain top overlooking the waters of his island domain. In his solitude he reminisces about the only woman to ever capture the heart of the Ogre of the Western Sea, the woman he cherished more than any treasure in this world, his beloved wife.
1. Prolog

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing within Sengoku Basara, any characters seen in the anime or games are clearly not my property or else I would not be writing this, original creations however are indeed my own.

Chosokabe Motochika was not as young as he used to be, he hated to admit this fact of life but it was the truth. His one good eye was not as sharp as it once was, the distant edge of the horizon now blurred when in his youth the sky was as clear and sharp as a pane of glass. While he had not lost any of the strength he was renown for sometimes the pain in his joints caused him to take rest more often than he used to. This especially hurt when he was forced to climb uphill for a particularly long time, such as the tall hill he forced himself to ascend today.

It was the highest peak in all of Shikoku, overlooking the sparkling blue waters of the Seto Inland Sea and the green expanse of the island below. The view was matched only by that which could be seen from the towering height of the _Fugaku_, but for its' purpose he would not have chosen any other place. Two days out of the year he climbed the mount, alone, taking with him only some incense and a large jug of sake. For three years he had done this, never missing a single trip, beginning his ascent at sunrise and not returning until the following dawn. He was close now, the well marked path was making it's final bend to the top of the hill.

There stood a small stone gate, it's slanted roof adorned with mythical sea creatures, the pillars carved from a gleaming white stone that shone in the early morning sun. A cobbled path lead through the gate into a circular glen surrounded on three sides by a thick line of flowering trees that were just past their prime, sending a mist of pastel petals covering the ground. In the center of the little glen sat a square of tiles, just enough to allow a single person to sit or kneel upon. And there, in the center of the square, nestled amongst an arch of flowering branches was a single marker made of stone. Made to resemble a four tiered pagoda, the grave was decorated with ribbons and surrounded by offerings made by the people of the island for their lost lady.

Here marked the final resting place of Chosokabe Nana of the Saito Clan, wife to the daimyo of Shikoku, mother to his sons, leader and defender of her people. Or at least those were the words carved into the gravestone, dry, formal and devoid of the brilliance that she brought into every day she walked this earth. He hated that epitaph, always had and always would. Because even if he had all the stone and all the carvers in the world laboring day and night to write out the words to describe his wife the work would never be done to his satisfaction. There were not words enough to encompass all that she was, how she fought, how she laughed, raged and loved. No amount of simple words could bring that brilliance back to the land of the living, back to him.

With more grace than a man of his size should ever posses he knelt before the grave, setting his satchel to the side and running his fingers over the characters that made up her name. The cold rock was a poor substitute for her warm skin, the polished surface a pale imitation of her sparking eyes. Three years after her death and still the wound left by her loss remained as fresh as the day he felt her last breath leave her body. With slightly shaking hands he pulled out the incense, her favorite scent of spicy cinnamon, and lit it. Next out came the jug, he wasted no time uncorking the large and heavy bottle to take a long drought and relish the solace it promised. Today was the anniversary of the day they married, one of the happiest days of his long life and so he could not stay away from her on this of all days. The only other time he came to this place was the complete opposite, the lowest point he had ever fallen to and he drug himself to this place in her honor lest he allow her memory to fade with time. Either way he always did the same thing each time he came to this dually cursed and beloved place, gave his offering, drank away the pain and lost himself to happier times long since past.

"You would scold me for this, tell me I'm wallowing in my misery and to man up," he said to the stone as he left all formality behind and sat sprawled out on the ground. "You would probably screech and yell every time I did this," taking another deep drink from the jug, "and say I'm being a pansy for hiding behind the bottle. But you're not and so I'll drink until I damn well please."

Every time he made a promise to himself that he would only cease his ritual when the sun rose on the next day, forcing him to return to his life or he found himself dead from drink and face the consequences from his irate wife on the other side. How he yearned for the later, having to see her in his dreams every night only to awake alone was more torture than even the loss of his eye had been. But he had four sons to think of, four grown sons who could not stand to be in the same room as one another let alone rule a province from one.

"They need you here to slam their hard heads together like you used to, they'd listen to you," he took another drink. "Do they hear their old man when he breaks up their petty brawls, never! But they would quake in their boots if you so much as looked sideways at them!" another gulp went down. "And now we have three grandsons, so it's a battle field every day and all of them are Morichika's. All his and he's our youngest, figure that."

He would always talk to her like this, as if she were sitting beside him, catching her up with the goings on of their family in the time between his visits. In the thirty-seven years they were married Nana had given him four boys and he had been more than proud of her and their children, showing off his family whenever he could. Motochika would never let it show for fear of loosing face and worsening the family feud but it broke his heart to watch the men Nana's boys had become fight one another over the rule of Shikoku. There had always been sibling rivalry but her death had hit them harder than they wanted to admit, without their mother to ease their growing tensions the dispute had only become worse. And the sad true fact was that he had not been very helpful in the last three years. For months after loosing his beloved wife he had locked himself away in his castle on the _Fugaku_. Nobuchika, his first born, would try and persuade him out but he was lost to his sorrow. More than a few drunken incidents involving fists were the highlight of these visits. Chikakazu and Chikatada, the second and third of his sons, would even try appearing together but that did not end well either with the bickering always going on between them. He only came out of his cups when Morichika brought the first of his grandsons to see him, the baby was less than a year old at the time and looked up innocently at him with Nana's violet eyes. From then on he limited his drinking to just two days out of the year for the sake of trying to mend their warring family.

"You would have known what to do, you always knew what to do," he took a sip from the jug then set it down, looking over the clear blue of the sea stretched out before him. They had done this very thing so often, watched the waves together, laying back and enjoying the salty breeze as it caught their hair, cooling the heat of the day. So many memories, so many little things that he had take for granted. It wasn't even until recently that he was shocked to realize he did not even have a picture of her, never being one of the lords who took the time to sit for portraits or waste time on painters. Now the only image he had of her was in his mind's eye and he was terrified without her here he might start to forget the fall of her hair or the way her lips would smile. It was only in his memories that he could see her clear as day, so he forced his mind not to forget, refused to let himself loose even one part of her. She had become the best part of him, for all her fierceness in battle or the razor sharp edge of her wit she had been all that was good in his world. He had adored her, had fought for her as he never fought for anything before. The days he spent with her were the best days of his life because every morning he woke up to her precious face and went to sleep with her in his arms. To watch her succumb to the disease that would eventually steal her from him was the hardest battle he ever had to fight. She was not young anymore, her body unable to fight back agasint the infection that raged within her. But she tried, oh how she stried, her warrior spirit refusing to give in even as her body withered away. Doctors were brought in from far and wide, each one promised far more than their asking price to heal the Lady of Shikoku, each one left empty handed. Weeks passed and she began to loose her strength, the blood from her ceaseless coughing staining his clothes when he held her weakening body close against the warnings of the useless physicians.

They said such closeness would allow the disease to spread, that he would surely die as well if he continued to refuse leaving his place at her bedside. He thinking at the time if only that were true.

Tears streamed down his cheek unchecked, the sobs caught in his throat and he bit into his lip until little rivers of blood rolled down his chin. He missed her so much it physically hurt, it hurt so much worse than a sword or arrow ever could. The breeze blew the incense smoke towards him, the familiar scent of cinnamon that used to hang in every room of their home brought so many bittersweet recollections. She loved the spicy scent, he used to bark his disapproval every time she went to light another stick but she would burn the scent anyway just to irritate him. Motochika took another long drought of sake, ignoring how blood and tears stained the back of his hand as he wiped his lips.

"Nana, do you see what you do to this old sea dog, woman?" he ground out. "The Ogre of the Western Sea turned into a sniveling mess, I just bet you're laughing your pretty ass off somewhere at the sight of me."

The wind blew through his spiky white hair, gently, as though long fingers were brushing through the unruly mane, just as she used to do. Between that and the smell of cinnamon wafting through the air he imagined she was nearby, perhaps hiding just behind him or peaking around the trunk of a tree ready to jump out. Some said the spirits of the dead watched over their loved ones left on earth, he was never a man to believe in such stories but he'd like to be if it meant the love of his life might be with him once more for even a moment. For now though all he had were the plights of the present, the solace of a bottle and the memories he held within him of the woman who tamed the heart of a pirate. So he sat back against the cold stone of her grave marker, gazing out towards the horizon and lost himself to his memories of his beloved, his mermaid…

**Author's Note:** Thanks for reading! What did you think? I've been a fan for quite some time but never got around to actually diving into the realm of fics for Sengoku Basara, here's hoping it's not a total disaster. So this can remain a oneshot or there is the possibility for telling the story of how these two met and came together. What will it be?


	2. First Impressions

**Diclaimer:** I own nothing within Sengoku Basara, any characters seen in the anime or games are clearly not my property or else I would not be writing this. Original creations however are indeed my own.

"Catch of the day indeed! What do we have here?"

"Brought up with the haul, aniki, we池e not sure how it happened but the men sure ain稚 complaining. A low laugh rumbled throughout the crew, their leader only just holding back his own throaty laughter. All eyes were trained to the sight dangling in a fishing net just above the deck, dripping wet and covered in still squirming fish.

"It seems the boys have caught themselves a mermaid! The men laughed at his sarcastic words, ignoring the black stare that touched each and every one of them from behind the ropes of the heavy fishing net. The figure at whose expense they found the situation so humorus began to struggle within her prison, her flailing arms becoming caught in the woven rope and sticking out at odd angles. That could not be comfortable, so the captain decided to have a little mercy. 展ell bring her down then, can稚 be so rude to such a special guest."

"Aye, aye sir!"

The net hit the deck with a loud splat, opening from the top where the huge crane had fished it out of the sea and sending all manner of marine life wriggling about. In the midst of the gleaming silver fish, occasional squid and precariously pointy sea urchins sat the so called mermaid. She was shivering with what might have been cold had it not been so oppresively warm out, so it must be anger or at the very least a healthy dose of humiliation she shook with instead. Perhaps a mix of the two, that seemed about right. The woman was coated in slime, ink and scales from the terrified cluster of future food stuffs she was trapped with, her black hair was a tangled rat's nest mixed with several feet of seaweed that fell over her face like the theatrical image of a drowned ghost. There were two legs instead of the much hoped for fishes tail of a mermaid sprawled out before her from her rather unceremonious drop onto the hard wooden floor. A plain, thin, dark green robe held precariously closed with a narrow belt was all that covered the woman. Narrow sleeves and a visibly rough texture clearly said the garment was of peasant make. She must have been out for a swim beside the ship and became entangled in the net as they pulled it up. But who in Shikoku wouldn稚 recognize the _Fugaku_?

"Well for a mermaid she痴 certainly ain't as ugly as the stories say. No tail, no monkey face, not real pretty but not ugly. One of the sailors said then turned and went to pinch the woman痴 cheek, before Chosokabe might have called him back for being overly rude but was beaten to it when the man began screeching damn near bloody murder. The fool痴 seeking fingers were currently trapped like a fish in the jaws of a hungry shark, said jaws belonging to the tormented woman who was clearly not so helpless as they had thought.

A hurried scramble broke out as more sailors ran forward, some pulling their fellow back as others tried to drag the now hissing female as far away from her victim as possible. All through this the white haired captain stood there, leaning on his anchor, staring at the strangely hilarious scene before him. His man was freed, a few small cuts from the woman痴 teeth leaving behind welts and even some bleeding but upon closer inspection found the wounds to not even need a single stitch. Well the man learned his lesson, do not touch where touch was unwelcome, he was sure to take that one to heart. It took four rather large men to hold her down, one on each limb, clearly she was not some simpering miss either, the girl had some strength to her.

"Alright you dogs, let the lady go,he called out, slinging his weapon over his shoulder and slowly sauntered over to where the pile of flailing limbs was quickly falling apart. 展e might be pirates but even we have some manners, let her up and get her clean, I have some questions for our mermaid. The crew did as he ordered, no more injuries were inflicted but the scale and weed covered guest wouldn稚 even take the hand offered to help her to her feet, flinging her matted hair in the face of the captain who did so. Chosokabe spat out a fin and watched the soggy figure disappear into the bath house, wondering what the hell he had just let loose upon his ship.

It took time, a few hours actually, for him to meet again with his strange house guest, during which he almost forgot she was even aboard. A knock on the door of his private quarters reminded him of this little situation. In the meantime he had sequestered himself away in his work room. Diagrams of future projects were tacked onto every wall, half finished mechanical engines lay piled up in every corner, shelves overflowed with hand written notes. The room was the definition of organized chaos and he liked it that way. Removing the magnifying device from his eye, he set aside the prototype he had been tinkering with and closed the door behind him. Moving to the receiving room with the long veranda looking out to sea he sat down, placing his weapon next to him not for defense per se but more of a show to the clearly violent nature of the person he was about to meet with. A man slid open the door, announced the as of yet unnamed female and left rather quickly. Chosokabe riased a brow, apparently either word spread fast or this mermaid was of the deadly upon first glance variety. Maybe even the human flesh eating kind, either way she sure left an impression. So the daimyo prepared himself for this unusual encounter, gathering his thoughts, straightening his spine, threw back his shoulders and called for the odd woman to be let in.

And promptly felt his jaw hit the floor. What came through that door was definitely not what was hauled up in the fishing net.

Tall for a woman and strikingly pale, with long wavy blue-black hair, more curves than a winding river and clad in a deep purple haori with a hem that just barely reached the middle of her generous thighs. In short his men were correct in saying she was nothing like the ugly ningyo but she certainly couldn稚 be just a mortal woman either. Not when she could actually render the Ogre of the Western Sea into a silent stupor by simply walking through a door.

"Are you always so warm and welcoming to your guests or am I a special case? Her voice, which was slightly breathy and sarcastically cutting at the same time, brought him out of his inner monolog and back into the present. He blinked his one eye, shaking the dust off his conversation skills and regained his lost composure quickly as she gracefully sat down before him.

"Well you did come out of the sea, maybe I知 simply being cautious in case you prove to be an evil spirit in disguise,he said, tilting his head to the side, doing his best to appear nonchalant.

"More like your idiot crew fished me out of my daily swim like a prize tuna,she replied with a tight lipped smile.

"And for that I apologize, you are lucky they hauled you up when they did or you might have drowned in that net. An unpleasant thought for the both of them no doubt.

"And who do I have the honor of receiving such an apology from? Her eyes, he noticed, were a flashing violet that shone like crystallized plums. He sat quiet a moment, running that peculiar thought through his head again. Where the hell had that poetic crap come from?

"I知 Chosokabe Motochika, Lord of Shikoku and the Seto Inland Sea,he bowed his head just enough for an introduction but never once took his steady gaze off the beguiling stranger across from him.

"Well that does explain a few things,she said softly almost to herself, looking pointedly at the anchor laying on the floor.

"But it doesn稚 explain who you are or why you were swimming so close to my ship."

"What ship?"

"The one you池e currently sitting in. How did she not know that she had been swimming right against the port side of the flag ship to the fleet of the Shikoku daimyo? Hell how did she not notice an island that had not been there the day before? They had only made port in this part of the Inland Sea last night, it had sort of been a big deal to the common folk and word spread quickly. Every peasant for miles knew the look of his floating fortress, it was a rather large thing to miss. But as he looked more closely at the woman he noticed little hints to her identity that were overlooked before, hidden under a layer of muck that said she did not exactly match the poor farmer痴 clothing she was wearing earlier. Her skin was much too smooth to have been working hard, manual labor outside for a lifetime, her graceful manner of sitting and posture too well practiced to be a commoners daughter. Something was fishy here…

"This is a ship? But it痴 enormous!"

"Biggest in the world,he smirked proudly. 釘ut I can give you the grand tour later, right now I want some answers,his grin faded as he leaned forward, looking her straight in the eye, looking for the first sign of deceit. 添ou池e no fisherman痴 wife, you池e too proper for that and it shows. And you池e not from around here or else you would have known the _Fugaku_ when you saw it, never mind choose to swim right next to it. And you would not have needed to know my name, everyone for miles knows me by face alone. So who are you? The beautiful woman sighed, running a hand through her curly bangs and biting her plump lower lip, that must have been a nervous tick for her but sent the blood rushing to places that made Motochika ever so grateful to be wearing baggy pants.

"I suppose my acting skills are a bit wanting,she turned those pretty eyes away for just a second, took a deep breath and turned back to him. 溺y name is Saito Nana, sister of Saito Toshimitsu formerly of Mino now in exile in Echizen. Please forgive my intrusion on your ship. The bow she made was low, her hands to the floor, waves of ebony hair falling like a dark waterfall around her. Also the angle caused the neckline of the borrowed jacket she wore to fall precariously close to revealing a tantalizing amount of cleavage, he was not sorry to take just a little advantage of the situation. He was a pirate after all, he was allowed.

"And what would the sister to one of Oda Nobunaga's former flunkies be doing all the way out here? The lady now known as Nana shot up from her bow, glaring daggers at him.

"I take it back."

"What? Your half baked apology? My lady if you hadn稚 noticed I happen to be a pirate, lying is part of a job description and that one you just threw out there was terrible. She puffed up like an angry blow fish, eyes alight, hair bristling and he thought to himself she was kind of cute when she was upset.

"I was attempting to be polite, you asked for the truth so I gave it to you! And for your information my brother痴 failed alliances have nothing to do with me,her arms folded under her rather ample bosom and it took more will power than he wanted to admit to keep his gaze from straying that far south, again. 的f anyone should be apologizing it痴 you for nearly drowning me in your net."

"And that only tells to me you池e one feisty wench to deal with. Well, mermaid, that solves one problem, now to figure what to do with you,he scratched his chin and made an exaggerated contemplating expression but ended up smirking at her quickly reddening face.

"I have a name,she hissed.

"I know, I prefer 僧ermaidhe replied.

"And please, do tell what exactly do you intend to 租o with me Chosokabe-sama? The sarcasm seeping from her words could have been cut with a knife it was so sharp.

"Well, you値l just have to wait and see, won稚 you my mermaid?"

**Author's Note:** Thanks to all who reviewed and favorited! I was really surprised how well this story has been taken, and so quickly too. So what did you think of this chapter? Was their first meeting up to snuff? Hope you all enjoyed it, leave a review if you wish and I'll be back hopefully next Monday with the next installment.


	3. Shall We Make A Deal?

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing within Sengoku Basara, any characters seen in the anime or games are clearly not my property or else I wouldn't be writing this. Nana, though based on a historical figure, is my own creation. Please do not sue the poor fan writer for I am poor enough as it is.

"What you should do is let me go, it would be the honorable thing," Nana said haughtily, her voice and face a mockery of polite manners. Chosokabe considered that either she was very spoiled, accustomed to getting everything her little heart desired whenever she wanted, or so unaccustomed to the world outside her brother's castle that she actually believed he was going to do as she commanded. He decided to test this theory.

"And why would I do something like that?"

"Because my belongings are on the shore unattended and I'd rather not loose them."

"Well that's solved easily enough. Hey, Kosuke!" The man who had showed Nana in earlier slid open the door and popped his head through. "It seems our guest left her effects ashore, take out one of the boats and bring them back for her."

"Sure thing, aniki," Kosuke shut the door, his hurried footsteps echoing down the hall as he went to his task.

"I'm not sure how I feel about some strange man going through my clothes like this." The cheeky wench was actually blushing. So was she all talk and no bite? That would be hard to say, even if she was a gently reared lady she still had the sharpest tongue he had ever heard on a woman. Could she back up her tough talk? That was yet to be seen and he found himself rather eager to find out.

"Would you rather I'd got them myself?"

"Absolutely not!"

He barked out a laugh at the look on her face. Oh she was too easy to bait and it was far too much fun not to.

"So how does the sister to an exiled vassal of Oda Nobunaga find herself all the way out here? Can't say I've ever caught a woman quite like you before, at least not in a fishing net."

"Do all men of the west use insults to begin a conversation or it that just you?"

"I don't make a point of paying that much attention to other men but I like to think I stand out amongst them," he smirked.

"Well when you're share the size and look of an ogre you would be difficult to ignore. You're aptly named oh lord of the Inland Sea." A woman should not be so attractive when she hurls insults at you but somehow this one managed to do so. The captain found himself at war within his mind over whether or not he should take offense or action to this. However there were more important matters to deal with. There would be time for winning this battle that later, he'd make sure of it.

"Thanks, I worked hard for that moniker. But I did notice how you evaded my question, now would you care to answer me?"

"Or else what, we fight for it?" His eye widened at her bold statement, the way her fist clenched in her lap as she leaned forward ever so slightly and the almost eager look in her violet eyes. Why was she so itching for a fight? It wasn't exactly unheard of for a woman to know the martial arts, hell he knew some women who fought better than most men. But those women were not likely to pick a fight as they were to finish one, Nana was practically chomping at the bit. An idea came to him then, one that could very well give the both exactly what they wanted in one fell swoop.

"Maybe," he said slowly, watching her carefully. "Tell you what, I have a proposition for you, Lady Nana, one that could solve both out problems." She looked a little skeptical but nodded anyway. "You want a fight, you'll get one. If you win I'll drop you off wherever you want with whatever supplies you need for whatever adventure you're obviously on."

"And if I loose?"

"You tell me what's going on, else I'll just assume you're a spy for the Oda faction and ransom you back to your brother. I've got a ship of hungry mouths to feed and you're a damn convenient bargaining chip. So do we got a deal?"

"How do I know I can take your word that you would let me go? The promise of a pirate isn't exactly the most trust worthy of things to place one's life on."

"I swear I'll let you free should you win, on my rule as lord of Shikoku I do this. That good enough for you?"

"You have a deal, Chosokabe-sama. As soon as your man returns we can begin our little match."

It did not take much longer for Kosuke to come back from the island, during which the two passed the time by staring at anything other than one another. This proved harder than was expected. When the two crew members finally entered the room they had with them a satchel full of clothes, some odds and ends provisions , a gourd canteen filled with fresh water and something that made both sailors look a bit uneasily at their guest. Nana ignored the bags and took the weapon into clearly practiced hands, looking over every inch for the smallest sign of abuse. The spear was taller than her by at least a full foot, the long wooden handle was intricately carved with leaves, vines and little detailed bits of vegetation. It was capped by a vicious looking blade, the frontal point was long and twisted like the path of a snake, either side of the meandering path gleaming from a recent sharpening. Towards the base it widened and forked off the wooden shaft, the metal split into two points that were also bladed on either side. A nasty piece of work it was, the better for inflicting twice the damage when pulling back in a fight. And from the way Nana handled the spear, giving it a quick twirl, checking the balance and throwing some practice swings, it was clear she was no newcomer to the weapon.

"Having second thoughts are you?" Her breathy voice called him back from his musings, the smirk on her face causing his men to glare and he to shake his head at her cocky tone.

"Not at all, let's get this beating over with. I'm warning you though, I don't give quarter to no one, man or woman, so don't go expecting me to go easy just because you're a lady."

"I would be insulted if you did."

"I would let you change first, now that you have your bag, save your modesty at least a little."

"What modesty? As though the whole of your crew didn't see me soaking wet or walking here in a man's jacket to begin with."

He balked as he made to stand, almost slipping on the highly polished floor. As if he needed a reminder of that. Of how the water logged robe had clung to her every curve or of just how good she looked in purple, wearing a man's coat, in his room, with him there.

"Well I certainly don't mind," he muttered to himself as he got to his feet.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing, just follow me," slinging the anchor over his shoulder, one hand stuffed in a pocket he lead the way. Sauntering down the hall in his usual way he made his way outside, gaining a crowd by the time they came on deck. The men were loud in their gossip, guesses running rampant about what was going on, cat calls being silenced with reminders of what the strange woman had done to the last sailor who got too close. There was a large open deck just below the canon that the men used often as a training space. Giving it a quick look around he decided it would do nicely for this match. A circle of human bodies had formed around the makeshift arena, the men parting to make way as he passed through and backing up even further when Nana followed.

"I do believe your men are sacred of me."

"Can't say I completely blame them. Though we'll see how they feel when I win this little wager."

"Indeed, the look on their faces when their captain is flat on his face unconscious at my feet will be just precious."

"You're very sure of yourself aren't you?" Her confidence was both commendable and irritating, he wasn't sure which was the lesser of two evils.

"Only when the situation calls for it." Alright irritating was the leading emotion at the moment, regardless of the pleasing outer appearance of said irritating female.

"Alright you sons of bitches, listen up! Our guest has proposed a trial by combat for her release, I intend to honor this agreement by fighting her myself. None of you are to interfere, am I understood?"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" chorused the crew, the circle around them growing as word spread quickly of the impending duel.

"They seem like an enthusiastic bunch," his opponent remarked. But she did not say so in a condescending way, rather she seemed approving of their loud support of him.

"That they are, wait until you see them in a real battle. Now that's a sight."

"Somehow I doubt I'll be around that long," she said nonchalantly, twirling her spear in one hand.

"We'll see about that." He dropped the anchor from his shoulder pointing the bladed tip towards her. "You ready for this, mermaid?"

"Come and get me, ogre!"

They charged at once, full force and head long at one another. An almost ear piercing screech of steel on steel set more than a few sailors clutching at their ears. Both weapons were locked together by their protruding blades. The combatants faces only inches apart as they pressed harder trying to offset the other. Conflicting auras of pink and purple crackled and sparked against each other. They stared one another down, blue meeting violet in challenge with neither daring to blink.

She was strong and knew her craft well, he admired that.

He valued strength not just in a woman but in anyone who called themselves a warrior.

This would not be some pushover brawl and he intended to enjoy every moment before his claimed the inevitable victory.

Just as the pressure would have snapped both weapons at the hilt the two simultaneously jumped back. Chosokabe swung his anchor high as Nana quickly ducked and kicked low. Her long legs made contact with his grieves sending him off balance. Despite the pain shooting up his calf he managed to catch her ankle in the chain that hung from the hilt of his blade. The butt of her spear jammed hard into his stomach, winding him. His catching his breath gave her just moments enough to loosen her foot and sprint away. After quickly regaining the use of his lungs he ran after her at top speed.

The fast little minx was actually evading him.

Graceful as a bird she moved, twisting and turning just out of his reach.

She was almost hypnotic, all long limbs and flowing hair that proved a mighty distraction.

More than once he was forced to skid to a hasty halt as she made her escapes, lest he run headlong into his men with a pulled weapon. Every time he tried throwing a punch she practically skipped away. It was getting old fast, this game of cat and mouse. And then to add insult to injury the woman began laughing at him!

"Am I too fast for the lumbering, old man?"

Oh he was going to enjoy winning this.

"Come on, Captain!"

"You can beat her!"

All his men were watching, there was no room for defeat.

"What are you just standing there for? Quit day dreaming and fight me!" She ran along the edge of the circle where the men were congregated the least, scattering them like flies. Just as she passed the shade by a copse of flowering trees she turned her spear not on him but on the exposed roots. A pale pink light erupted around her, blindingly bright and winding like the vines climbing up the tree before her. The aura surrounded only her at first then began flowing down the shaft of the weapon embedded in the soil. Finally the cloud of light merged with the tree itself.

For just a moment there was silence, all eyes and ears trained on the same strange sight. And then the rumbling began, low at first, then gaining volume. The deck began to quake until suddenly in a geyser of soil and broken planks the source of the sound came crashing out. Two huge roots burst from the deck sending men screaming and countless cherry blossom flowers fluttering around the lone figure in the middle of it all. Pulling her spear from the earth she shook her bangs from her face, she was truly a sight to behold. Then she took her fighting stance and rushed him again. This time though the gigantic roots surged along side her, a deadly retinue covered in bark. Chosokabe stood stunned for just a second too long and felt the power of her earthen whips and he was sent flying into the nearest wall.

Spots clouded his vision as he pulled himself to his feet. It might have been minuets or hours since she knocked him clear across the ship, he was so disoriented he couldn't even tell. Though this confusion was answered almost immediately after he finally found his footing. Scant seconds later he was bombarded in a storm of kicks, slashes and cuts. It was only by sheer luck he rolled away from the wall in time to not be cornered and thus left a sitting duck. Steel clanged on steel, bare legs collided against armor, his body took the brunt force of every hit landed by the puppet roots. She was fast, knew her weapon well and mastered her element with the skill of a life long student of the art of war. In a word the she was magnificent. Just beyond he cold hear his men cheer him on even as they gasped in shock at the beating she dished out.

Where had she learned this?

Why had she come here?

What was it about her that drew him in like a ship into a whirlpool?

He wanted the answers to those question and he wanted them now damn it! Before he had not truly been holding back but the thought of using his full strength against her had not crossed his mind. It did not seem necessary. Now he was regretting his decision, it seemed plenty necessary. And she said so herself that holding back would insult her, so he wouldn't dare offend her now. She might have the control of the earth itself which was by no means a little achievement. But there was one sure way of thinning out the weeds. Slash and burn them to the ground.

Leaping onto the higher ground Chosokabe lead his alluring opponent away from his crew and onto the gun deck. She followed, her spear whirling like a mill, sending a cloud of petals after him that stung like a hundred hornet stings on his bare flesh.

"Don't you run away from me!" she shouted as they both landed on the giant barrel of the _Fugaku's_ main canon.

"Who said I was running?" he replied, pulling his anchor in by the chain and slamming his foot down upon the end.

"What?"

Before she could utter another word he blasted forward. With a ribbon of fire in his wake he rushed past her, throwing the dark haired woman off balance. Atop his anchor he spun on the very edge of the canon, doubling back and circling her in a flaming cone that set her whips ablaze. The root crumbled to ash in seconds, Nana made to get away from the inferno, batting one smoking sleeve as it caught alight.

"Now who's running?" he called after her.

"Damn you, you over grown sea monkey!" A barrage of her blade was deflected by a wall of fire. She leapt over it, intending to skewer him from above only to be batted away by a kick to the gut.

"Now there's no need for name calling, wench." He rode after her, meeting strike for strike, block for block. But she was slowing down, her supply of poisoned petals burning away. It was not easy to direct the path of the battle but there was no way in hell he was letting their fight move anywhere near another tree. One well aimed spout of flame just centimeters from her grip drew a shriek from her lips. With that her grip loosened just enough for him to kick the serpent spear out of her hands. It fell back down to the deck they had started their match on with a loud clang, she winced as she looked down then turned her angry gaze upon him. Nana growled, bull rushing him and throwing punch after punch. Some of these she landed, all sure to leave ugly bruises come morning but most he blocked or batted away. One well placed kick to the inner thigh however caught him off guard long enough to make an escape. She made to follow her fallen weapon but he sent his chain out just as she made to jump over the balcony ledge. It wrapped around her leg and with a tug he pulled her back, dragging her tight against him. To keep her from squirming too much, or even worse get away, he locked her in place by trapping her between the steel of the anchor and his own body.

It was not the best time to notice how those curves felt pressed to tightly against him or how the over sized jacket she wore threatened to come undone with her useless struggle for freedom. She looked livid, those purple eyes flashing with anger, her pale cheeks turning red from her labored breathing. Oh yes, she was not a happy mermaid, not at all and he was the center point of her fury. If looks could kill he would have been wrapped in a sail, weighted down with the biggest canon ball aboard and already sleeping with the fishes.

So was this victory worth the wrath that was sure to come? Hell yes it was.

Slowly he leaned forward, bending his head slightly to brush her soft cheek, breathing in the scent of flowers still clinging to her thick black hair. His lips just barely brushed the shell of her ear and she went still in his arms when in a low voice he whispered,

"I win."

**Author's Note:** And here is the newest chapter! What did you think, good, bad, somewhere in the middle? With any luck I aim to have these up every other Monday, so let's hope all goes well there. So drop in a line, lemme know what you thought and I'll see you all in the next installment!


	4. Nana's Story

**Disclaimer****: **I own nothing baring the trademark of Sengoku Basara, all anime and game characters are therefore not mine to joyfully gloat ownership over. Original characters such as Nana though are my own. This is a work of fiction and all similarities of real person living or dead would be not only coincidence but also really weird.

"I have to say, you put up one hell of a fight. Kept me on my toes up to the very end," Chosokabe said as he poured himself a drink. "Where did you learn to swing that spear of yours?"

"Thank you, so glad to know that my loss was at least an impressive one." Nana sat across from the table from him, her back ramrod straight, hands laid deceptively limp on her lap. The fury had gone from her face, the fire that races through the blood during battle had long cooled in her veins. No more the vicious opponent she was but an hour ago, now she seemed resigned, still angry of course but accepting the outcome of their duel for the time being.

"A man would have to had loose both his eyes not to see the skill you posses. But unfortunately for you while I may have only lost one eye, both my ears are working just fine. And they did not hear the answer to my question of who taught you how to fight like that."

"My father if you must know."

"Personally? Not instructors he hired?" That was little shocking, even his own father had not been his sole teacher while he was growing up.

"Why are you so curious about my past? Does my father taking the lead in my lessons have some hidden meaning somewhere? An answer that might lead you to some fabled buried treasure?"

"Wasn't that part of our deal? I win and you tell me what I want to know? Well I won, little lady, and I intend to figure you out." He watched as she fought back what would no doubt have been another scathing retort and admired her show of restraint. The woman had been trained well it seemed, her father instilled in his daughter the danger of acting out impulsively in anger. And oh did she suffer from anger, so far it was her only flaw that he could make out. True that he himself was the owner of a rage that was oceanic in proportions but even a pirate knew when to reign in his temper. He hoped to never be overtaken by the hurricane of fury he knew resided in all who possessed a warrior's spirit. Heaven only knew what would become of him then, of what he might do, it was not a pleasant thought.

"You are quite possibly the only person since I was a child to call me little." Her words stunned him out of his inner monolog, brining him to meet her curious gaze.

"Well almost everyone is about the size of a guppy from where I stand," he chuckled and threw back another swig of wine.

"I'm not exactly the breadth of a mountain like some people," she looked pointedly at him, "but neither am I fashionably compact either."

"Have you really turned this conversation to fashion?"

"I could go on about the newest cut of butterfly sleeves on ladies' kimonos in Kyoto if you like."

"No offense, but you don't seem to be very fond of kimonos."

This point was glaringly obvious by the new clothes she now sported. After returning to the castle and settling in a receiving room sporting a huge open balcony, Nana took her newly retrieved clothes and changed in a nearby, more private, room.

The guards stationed at the door had made strange squeaking sounds when she opened the sliding door, she had glared them into silence in return.

A magenta jacket trimmed in pale yellow was loosely belted around her waist, flowing out to mid thigh. The cloth bindings that did nothing to conceal her bosom but somehow managed to support it was visible from the deep gap made from the straining neckline. Slung low on her hips was a pale pink skirt, slit up either side, the cascade of cloth knotted at the hem to give the silk some weight lest the wind pick it up. Her shoes were left before the door, open toed sandals that laced up her calves. Leather bracers decorated her forearms from elbow to wrist, though only seen when her wide sleeves fell back.

It was certainly true to say that she was more covered than she had been before, but not by much.

"If you knew how hot and stifling those blasted court garments can be then you would see my point very well."

"I'm not complaining," he held his hands up in mock surrender. "Just be careful 'round the men, some might try and appreciate your taste a little too personally."

"It's nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"And how's that? Trouble at your brother's castle?"

He was going to unravel the mystery that was this woman no matter how long it took damn it.

"I wasn't permitted to wear my own choice of clothes after…after my brother became lord. He said it was unseemly, he also tried to put an end to my sparring but I just practiced while he slept."

"And that made you run away?"

"You're trying to get me flustered so I will just blurt out what you want to hear."

Clever girl.

"And if I admit this?"

"Then you vastly underestimate me and I pity you for it."

Face of a goddess with the tongue of a demon.

"Go on then, tell me your story as you see fit."

"You are too kind, my lord," she bowed her head, took a sip of her plum wine and returned to her tale. "Toshimitsu and I are half siblings. His mother was our father's first wife and she died birthing him, so he was raised by our maiden aunt. My own mother came much later as Father's second wife, Toshimitsu was thirteen when they married. He hated her from the start and from the moment I was born not a year the same went for me. Father was often away at war while he was growing up but when I was a child he had since succumbed to an old wound and so stayed home."

"Big brother got jealous I take it?"

"Jealousy is too small a word to describe that man. My mother died when I was ten, Father and I were devastated but Toshimitsu was practically glowing." Nana's face looked ashen for a fraction of a moment, her hands clenched in her lap, a dark look flashing through her normally bright eyes.

She suspected foul play, he could read the horrible suspicion in her actions. He fought the urge to reach out to her, to hold her hand in his.

"As my studies went on Father began to realize I was just as adept at running our province than his son was. As time went on though Toshimitsu spent more of his days hunting and whoring with the men of court while I was left to shoulder the household and hear the grievances of our people when Father could not. By then he was getting up in age and could not attend the long council meetings as he used to. So he sent me in his stead one day to the shock and disgust of more than a few of the nobles."

A woman being sent in a man's place, this could not have ended well.

"While some vassals did come to clearly see my capability the rest would not even open their eyes to look. Most would look down their noses at me, as best they could, dealing only amongst themselves. And those loyal to the first born son, their palms greased by my brother, well they would refuse to give me the time of day and work only when Toshimitsu was sober. Father would have tried to convince them that if we could just work together our lands would prosper. But then Father suddenly fell ill and all chance of negotiation ceased. He could not leave his room….for days he lingered…..he died five years ago."

There was a sadness to her now that defied the hot temper that dominated every word and action that he had witnessed so far. Now he could see where that wrath came from, or at least glimpse the tip of the iceberg.

"I was made lady of the castle in truth as my brother has yet to find a family who could stand the thought of subjecting their daughter to him. Every whim of my spoiled, inebriated sibling was catered to and I had to ensure it was done. Taxes spent on lavish gifts for his friends, all but the barest food stores used up almost every night for his parties. It was disgusting."

"And then I suppose the alliance with Oda happened?"

"Toshimitsu ran at the chance to side with the Devil King. He figured it was better to be at his side then do the right thing and stand up to that monster," she growled and took another sip.

"You tried to talk the fool out of it?"

"Of course I did and was quickly reprimanded. He might have been a sorry lord but he could throw a punch," one pale hand reached up and rubbed her cheek as though feeling a phantom pain.

Chosokabe felt something start to brew within him as he followed the path of her fingers. A duel was such as theirs was a whole other animal, a contest of skill by two combatants with honor. To strike one's own sibling when they only were only doing what they thought best for your people, it made him sick to his stomach. And to do so to this woman, this strong and fierce, beautiful woman, made him want to keel haul her brother…slowly.

"So when did you decide to bag your bags and set sail?" Yes, talk, ask questions, anything to take his mind off of planning the demise of a cowardly lord on behalf of a woman he barely knew.

"After Oda was defeated my brother was about to loose our lands. Through some skill I would have never realized he possessed the province was made secure though we were exiled. We were given a new castle, smaller than our true home but at least our people were unharmed. The man he entered negotiations with and the one who first proposed the arrangement, they suggested an show of solidarity through marriage to cement the alliance ." She paused, taking a deep breath and looked as though she were gathering her thoughts. "They are cruel men and never do I wish to be their presence again, so I ran away."

"A treaty made you leave?" His surprise was evident, by the time he recognized how stupid that must sound to her it was too late.

"Have you ever faced being turned over like livestock, dressed up and given over to a new owner so that he may do whatever he wishes?"

He wisely kept his lips shut tight.

"I thought not. As I had never been outside of my own province perhaps it was foolish to leave alone, but I felt like I had no choice. Somehow I ended up here, the area was said to be safe enough though I knew little about Shikoku beyond reputation. One day I went for a swim and you know the rest." Nan shrugged her shoulders, she seemed outwardly not to care that her secrets were laid bare but the veneer was thin. The woman before him was nervous, maybe even scared. "Most men would send me back to my brother after hearing that. However you earned the this from me in a fair fight and I kept my word in telling you. So what will you do with this information, Ogre of the Western Sea, make a deck hand out of me, sell me for a ransom?"

"If you knew of Shikoku by reputation than you would have heard that I don't turn away those in need. I might be a pirate but there's honor even amongst thieves." Her expression was priceless, her mouth actually dropped wide open. "So I tell you what Saito Nana of Mino, we always need all the capable hands we can get. You're a good fighter, with some real instruction you'll be a great one. Here's my deal, you can stay here, I'll even find a spear master to help polish your skills. In return you fight with me."

"Join forces with you?"

"I can only imagine ol' Mori's face when he hears a noble lady is tearing his forces to pieces. Word has it he's joined up with the Toyotomi so suffice to say I'll be on the opposite of that," he laughed just thinking of how that overgrown mantis would take that news.

"And that is all you would expect of me?"

"That and your lovely company every night for dinner," he winked at her and grinned as her cheeks turned bright red.

"I-I suppose that is not too much to ask," the flustered woman shook her head, long ebony locks flying about her. "Keep your ill manners to a minimum and everything should be fine. Alright then, Chosokabe Motochika of Tosa, I happily accept your offer."

Her smile sent his heart skipping a beat and he wondered if this arrangement wasn't really a trap set by the gods. Never had a woman affected him so, his own father could never convince him of his duties to take a wife, hell he even refused most of the offerings of concubines over the years. All he wanted in life was the prosperity of his lands and the freedom to sail the seas, women came and went in a night if that much because being tied down was the last thing he wanted. Only once had he ever put any thought into the future when it came to a female in his life and even then he never fully committed to that either. Pushing those troublesome thoughts to the side he poured the lady before him another drink and they toasted their new companionship. To hell with everything else, he'd take his chances.

**Author's Note:** So sorry everyone! School has started for the semester and I just haven't had the time to update- not through not writting I literally just had homework and I kinda...forgot.


	5. Lady Motochika

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing that carries the name Sengoku Basara. If I did then I wouldn't be writing fan fiction then would I? Original characters however are indeed my own so please don't try and take them.

"Everyday more and more arrive . I'm at a loss with what to do with them what with war amassing in the east." Chosokabe sighed, running a hand through his hair and leaned over the balcony. Far down below a line of little boats could be seen slowly making their way to his shores.

"Who are they?" the woman at his side asked.

"Refugees from Aki. Widows and orphans, the old and injured who have lost their family or just aren't useful in Mori's cutthroat war efforts. They've been making their way here looking for a safe harbor from the war with the Toyotomi."

"And you take in the people of your sworn enemy?" Nana seemed confused and it really wasn't a surprise. If it were him hearing such a story then he would have thought them insane too.

"It's not the people I have a vendetta against, it's just their sunshine loving lord. And if he won't care for them who will?"

"But Shikoku surely can't hold everyone, let alone feed, house and clothe a whole second population."

"So far it's been alright, can't say about a month from now," he shrugged, feeling lost in the whole situation.

"And what is your plan for a month from now?"

"Double up the bunks? I've been a little busy if you hadn't noticed, there's a war headed right for us. There hasn't been any time to figure out who's sleeping where when I'm still holed up repairing the _Fugaku _from the assault on Oda."

The dark haired woman beside him puffed up like an angry blowfish, her face was even a little red. Next thing he knew there was a sharp ringing in his ears and a throbbing pain to the side of his head.

"What the hell, woman?!"

"Foolish man! I'm surprised your castle is still standing and there's food on the table with all the organizational skills you have. Or lack," she ground out her words between clenched teeth and glared at him.

"So you hit me for not being a house maid?!"

"No I hit you because there are hungry and homeless people beating down your door who could be turned to your side and you're just ignoring the opportunity!"

"What…?" He rubbed his hurting head and tried to not whimper, damn but that woman hit hard.

"Some of those people could be skilled laborers and the women could help feed the soldiers. Think Ogre, those people suffered under Mori Motonari but could flourish under you. And the easiest way to earn a person's trust is to feed them, followed by giving them a dry place to sleep. Who is your head housekeeper?"

"My what?"

"Who runs your household? You're certainly not married and you've not mentioned your mother being around so who orders the food and pays the servants?"

"I….the men just take turns….and we figure that when its' needed…."

He had a bad feeling that was the wrong answer.

"How have you not starved to death or suffocated in your dirty laundry yet I do not know," she pinched the bridge of her nose and seemed to count to ten. When she looked up her eyes were clear of rage, for the time being, and her face was determined. "I'll need a count of how many refugees have arrived already and a station set up to count those still coming in. Any family who can spare room is to be found and matched with however many people they can accommodate. Orphans will go to the town center and injured or elderly to the square where they'll be set up a temporary hospital. Men who can be spared from the army are to set up these places while women are to begin a communal kitchen. I'll need some volunteers to go with me to get started, about twenty at most that way all the stations can begin at once."

He stared down at her as she finished, blinking dumbly.

"What?"

"You heard about the situation less then five minuets ago and already you're barking out battle plans."

"I was raised to be the wife of a daimyo, it comes with the daily lessons. So will you lend me the men to begin my project?"

"Maybe, can't say they'd listen to you though."

"I'll make them listen."

It took some work but eventually she did just that, much to Motochika's amusement. There were still quite a few of the men who thought that having a woman on board was nothing but asking for bad luck. Nana might have lost a duel to him but proved to be more than capable of putting trouble making crewmen in their place.

The sparring grounds were full of the repentant by the time she left.

Teams were mobilized in action, temporary structures were raised in the town square to serve as hospitals and kitchens. Errand boys ran back and forth from home to home taking tally of how many refugees each household could take in. Women stirred vats of bubbling rice, dishing it out to the cold and hungry as the men carried the old or injured to tents for treatments. For days this went on, more and more people coming from the mainland were directed to Shikoku when word began to spread of the shelter to be found there. And at the center of it all, calling out instructions and making sense of the chaos was the tall figure of a single woman.

No one was told who she was other than her given name and that she was simply there to help. None would dare to be so disrespectful as to call her by anything other than a title she deserved but the lady remained quiet on her family name. When the locals began to comment that her care of the victims of the Mori war machine began to resemble the kindness of their own lord a nickname began to be whispered fondly amongst the townsfolk.

"So what's this I hear about the people calling you Lady Motochika nowadays?"

The lady in question almost spat up her fried fish, a rather unsightly thing to do but hilarious to watch none the less. Another long day of planning war and building houses, the strain of the work load had hit them both rather hard but still they met every night to share dinner together. It was the only relaxing time either of them had anymore. However that was by no means enough reason to cease the constant heckling of his pretty house guest.

"They are calling me what?"

"Apparently we got married in our sleep. Have to say I must have hit the sake harder than usual not to remember that."

"I never told a single soul anything of the sort!"

"Well maybe you'll grow to like that title more than 'mermaid', I really have no preference, it's whatever makes you happy, dear."

"Why you!"

A pickled radish hit him square between the eyes, or eye and gaping socket if you will. Either way the root vegetable still slid down his face, leaving a slightly slimy trail in it's wake until falling to the table and hitting with a wet splat.

"Did you really just throw food at me?"

A red tongue blew a rather loud raspberry at him.

"Such a mature woman I've taken for my bride, truly I've been blessed by the gods." Oh how he loved the way her nose would wrinkle with distaste whenever she heard something that set her hackles rearing.

"Don't even joke about such a thing," Nana looked down at her trays of food, probably to choose her next volley of ammunition. "Where in the world did they come up with a moniker like that?" It was true that she might need a little growing up here and there, her odd yet sheltered upbringing had not helped her in the field of maturity, the food throwing to name one example. But there was a strength in this woman. The work crews she banded together balked at first at being subordinate to a foreign woman but her ability to command was found as something to be feared and respected. People listened to her because she listened to them, complete strangers she was willing to put her neck out for with no expectations of a reward in return.

"A hard working, compassionate leader with just the slightest disregard for the rules, I would say they've takin' a liking to you." A faint blush colored her cheeks and he smiled at her. "In all seriousness, Nana," he met her violet gaze and found himself unable to look anywhere else. "You've done good by my people and those coming here looking for a new home. They might not have been so welcoming to Mori's cast offs if someone with enough spine to speak for them hadn't done so. The people of Shikoku and Aki are indebted to you and so am I. Thank you."

"Chosokabe-san…" she seemed lost for words. "I…don't know what to say, other than I have done what any decent person should do. But…you're very welcome."

"Please, I think we're on a first name basis by now."

"Then, you're welcome again, Motochika."

The way his name fell from her lips sent a jolt up his spine and set a fire in his veins. Such a thing had never occurred with any other woman, he was not even entirely sure if he liked the feeling or not. What in the seven seas was wrong with him?

"You know, I tried establishing such programs for the poor and sick back in my home province." Yes, a new topic of conversation, just what he needed. Anything would do really, but he had to draw his thoughts away from imagining how other…words would sound in her hypnotizing voice.

"Did you now?"

"Yes. When my father was alive he tried his best to care for those who could not do so for themselves. He used to say that a lord was only as strong as his people allowed him to be and that it was our responsibility to see that their strength never waned." Whenever she spoke about her late father a look of calm passed over her face, a look of deep caring that Motochika found himself envious of.

"I take it that brother of yours didn't take to the lesson?" She shook her head, her eyes growing hard again.

"No, he despises those he considers lower than himself. When I tried to visit the village once he stopped me at the gates and asked me what I doing. An old house being used as an orphanage was going through it's food stores faster than they could restock, I was bringing them leftovers from one of the feasts."

"I think I can see where this is heading."

"He had the food thrown into the river rather than share it with peasants."

Well, that was even worse than he had anticipated. How such a despicable bastard could be related to a kind hearted woman like her, it was something that would forever remain a mystery he was sure.

"I'm surprised he hasn't had half his army out looking for you, doesn't seem like the kinda man to let something like that go."

"Oh I'm sure he's raised quite the ruckus since the moment he found me gone," she sighed. "At times I feel selfish for running away."

"Are you…are you sure that you're far away enough? There's no knowing if or when he'll figure out where you've been hiding." Why in blazes did he go and say a stupid thing like that? He didn't want her to leave and he sure as hell could protect her if that yellow bellied brother of hers came knocking. Taking a deep drink of his sake only cooled his fiery inner monolog enough to hear past the self slandering thoughts bull rushing through his mind.

"This is the last place he'd think to look for me…" Nan said slowly, sipping her plum wine and looked down in her cup, as though the liquid within held the answers to whatever troubled her. "And even if Toshimitsu did find me, him or that pompous man he tried to marry me to, I would not leave. I…I feel as though I am needed here, that as long as there are those who are hungry or hurt I will stay on and see that they are cared for." With a little smile sent his way he felt his heart skip a beat, damn woman with her pretty face and righteous words.

"If your idiot brother was half the born leader you are then you might have had a decent lord ruling Mino and Echizen. But if that happened you would have never run away and then I'd have never had the bragging rights to catching a mermaid in my fishing net."

"Only an ogre would both compliment and insult a lady at the same time."

"Ha! I'll drink to that!" he toasted her before downing what might have been half the carafe of sake.

"Well," one slim black brow raised looking down at the now empty bottle and comparing it to her own. "No use to keep up the depressing talk or waste good alcohol, bottoms up."

**Author's Note****: ** I'd like to apologize for the delay, this semester is the hardest I've ever taken and so I'm not left a lot of time to write anything other than essays .


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